It was during last night’s glittering event with Geoff Keighley that we got our first real glimpse of CD Project Red’s hotly anticipated upcoming blockbuster: The Witcher 4. In line with the little information that had been leaked beforehand, it was not Geralt who was at the center of what will be a new trilogy, but Ciri. Something that has caused quite a stir online, but for CD Project Red it is a natural and logical next step in the story.
Game Director Sebastian Kalemba points out that Ciri’s younger age gives players more freedom to shape her character, which was not possible with Geralt. Ciri is well on her way to becoming a Witcher on her own terms, which gives room to explore her unique way of dealing with different situations. Not to mention enriching the story with new nuances for players to explore.
Both Mitręga and Kalemba are aware that the choice of Ciri as the main character is somewhat controversial, but they emphasize that the decision was not taken lightly. According to the two, talks about the future of The Witcher have been going on for almost nine years, and Ciri emerged early on as the obvious choice. Her character offers many challenges and opportunities, which they say brings new energy and inspiration. As they mentioned in an interview and said:
“It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She’s an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her.”
What do you think about the choice of Ciri as the protagonist of the new trilogy?